Samsung used its developer conference to formally announce Bixby 2.0, and while the core Bixby experience will remain the same for those using the assistant on the Galaxy S8, Note 8, etc., there are some big under-the-hood changes that aim to make Bixby even smarter and more powerful than it currently is.

The first big update has to do with the fact that Samsung is opening up the Bixby SDK to third parties. Samsung will be using a private beta program to initially release the SDK to select developers, and over time, the company's hope is to allow anyone to create new skills and services for its AI.

Per Samsung's Vice President and Head of Service Intelligence of Mobile Communications, Eui-Suk Chung:

We know Samsung cannot deliver on this paradigm shift by ourselves - it can only happen if we all, across all industries, work together, in partnership. With Bixby 2.0, the doors will be wide open for developers to choose and model how users interact with Bixby in their services across all application domains e.g., sports, food, entertainment, or travel – the opportunities are truly endless.

This is easily the biggest change to Bixby, but that's not all that Samsung announced. Bixby 2.0 will bring the assistant to other connected devices (including refrigerators, TVs, speakers, etc.) and use improved language capabilities to sound more natural and perform more complex tasks. With this update, Samsung says that Bixby will be able to "really get to know and understand not only who you are, but who members of your family are, and tailor its response and actions appropriately."

Bixby didn't have the smoothest launch here in the States, and while it will probably take some time for the changes in 2.0 to have a noticeable impact on most people's day-to-day use, we're still excited to see Samsung double-down on the platform. Bixby has a lot of room to grow, but what we're seeing here is encouraging.

My problem is, I don't really "play" with my phone. When I use my Note8, I don't have time to waste trying a new technology, then having to "invest" time trying to teach it if it's wrong. For this reason, it's just quicker do what I need manually

For example, if I asked it to turn on the flashlight and she suggests searching the web, I can't justify teaching it what I want it to do, when it is quicker to unlock my Note8, swipe down and tap the flashlight button myself.

How can Samsung get away with putting this garbage on their devices. I have a Note 8 and it's a joke. I'm stuck with a $1000 Note 8 with a button I can't use. Google Assistant works flawlessly. Siri worked flawlessly on my Iphone 7 Plus. Samsung need to allow us to reprogram the button similar to what Blackberry does with their convenience key. Let us us the button for whatever app we want. Bixby 2.0 is as much garbage as the old version. It won't even wake up my phone

Its kinda late to the party...like kinda too late. Siri is King(or Queen) with iOS. Google Assistant is so great there is no reason to try anything else. Alexa pretty much has a lock on the home smartbox scene. Cortana who? Bixby? Come on...gtfoh...

Been using bixby exclusively. An I'm impressed so far . Frist off it is not a Google now replacement . It's designed to intergrate with your s8 note 8 an that's where it's starting to shine . It can only get better from here

I was there with you, but over time the next big Android os update. Just don't give me that Tingly sensationany any more. But guess I am starting to get to that age, Where I want to say you kids get off my lawn.........

Bixby, Great!!!!
Continue to work with it an so call teach it, it will be just as good as Google's AI.
It's going to take some time but, I'm so glad they decided to stay with it and mage it better for everyone.

So are they making it available for the S7/S7 edge? I mean, if they're going to deploy it to all these other devices, like refrigerators, the least they can do is release it for these phones, which are perfectly capable devices. Anything that will replace S-voice is a refreshing change.

In truth, they ought to replace S-voice on every single device that will support Bixby. Get rid of that piece of junk.